joewein.de LLC fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter! Free trial for 30 days

"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fudiciary" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million pounds" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • ",000,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • fudiciaryagent_vodafoneworld111@yahoo.com.hk

Fraud email example:

From: VODAFONE ONLINE PROMO <mcjunkin@olypen.com>
Reply-To: VODAFONE ONLINE PROMO <vodafonedispachagent01@googlemail.com>
Date: Mon, 2 Jun 2008 04:37:19 -0700
Subject: No:LP/26510460037/02

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Please be informed that all participants in this Vodafone promotion
program were selected randomly through a computer ballot system drawn
from over 500,000 companies and 50,000,000 individual e-mail addresses.

Due to possible mix up of some numbers and email contacts, we ask that
you keep this award strictly from public notice until your claim has
been processed and your money remitted. This is part of our security
protocol to avoid double claiming or unscrupulous acts by some
participants of this program.With respect to the above, you have therefore been
approved for payment of a lump sum of Five Hundred Thousand Great
Britain Pounds (£500.000.00 GBP) in certified cheque credited to File
No:LP/26510460037/02.

This is from a total cash prize of five million pounds(500,000.00 GBP)
shared among the ten international winners in the 1st category.

Along with (A FIRST CATEGORY RAFFLE DRAW TICKET) To begin the claim
processing of your prize you are to contact the claims agent with the form below,
You are required to fill this form to facilitate the processing of your
claims which will lead to the payment of your prize to you as required.


PAYMENT RELEASE ORDER FORM
1. Full Names:
2. Address:
3. Age:
4. Sex:
5. Marital Status:
6. Occupation:
7. Phone numbers:
8. Nationality:
9. Country of Residence:

FUDICIARY AGENT:Mr.Maltin Fliep (Rev.)

Email:fudiciaryagent_vodafoneworld111@yahoo.com.hk

Goodluck from me and members of staff of the VODAFONE ONLINE
PROMOTION INTERNATIONAL Best Regards,
MR. Bubber Elton
(Lottery Co-Ordinator)
CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Please be informed that all participants in this Vodafone promotion
program were selected randomly through a computer ballot system drawn
from over 500,000 companies and 50,000,000 individual e-mail addresses.

Due to possible mix up of some numbers and email contacts, we ask that
you keep this award strictly from public notice until your claim has
been processed and your money remitted. This is part of our security
protocol to avoid double claiming or unscrupulous acts by some
participants of this program.With respect to the above, you have therefore been
approved for payment of a lump sum of Five Hundred Thousand Great
Britain Pounds (£500.000.00 GBP) in certified cheque credited to File
No:LP/26510460037/02.

This is from a total cash prize of five million pounds(500,000.00 GBP)
shared among the ten international winners in the 1st category.

Along with (A FIRST CATEGORY RAFFLE DRAW TICKET) To begin the claim
processing of your prize you are to contact the claims agent with the form below,
You are required to fill this form to facilitate the processing of your
claims which will lead to the payment of your prize to you as required.


PAYMENT RELEASE ORDER FORM
1. Full Names:
2. Address:
3. Age:
4. Sex:
5. Marital Status:
6. Occupation:
7. Phone numbers:
8. Nationality:
9. Country of Residence:

FUDICIARY AGENT:Mr.Maltin Fliep (Rev.)

Email:fudiciaryagent_vodafoneworld111@yahoo.com.hk

Goodluck from me and members of staff of the VODAFONE ONLINE
PROMOTION INTERNATIONAL Best Regards,
MR. Bubber Elton
(Lottery Co-Ordinator)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam